This blog is a personal account of things happening in my life and around me

Monday, 7 June 2010

Ubuntu no longer endearing !!!

I have been using Ubuntu (Debian based Operating System) for the past five years or so. In the past, I had problems with things like Audio not working, finding drivers for the hardware, etc. and inevitably the solution was just a click away. Ubuntu forums provide workable solutions for most problems and they probably are the reason behind why this particular variant of Linux Operating System is very successful and appealing to a user like me. Based on my experience with Ubuntu in the past, I introduced my two children to Ubuntu. However, off-late things haven’t been smooth sailing at all with Ubuntu.

The first problem cropped with the wi-fi card on my HTPC. When I built my HTPC (mini PC), I wasn’t successful in getting the wi-fi card (model VIA VT6656) to work on Ubuntu. I tried various solutions and had to ultimately give up. I am now using a D-Link wi-fi adapter. My second major problem cropped up following the installation of Lucid Lynx (Ubuntu 10.04 LTS). The HDMI audio has stopped working following the recent Kernel Upgrade. Like in the past, I tried various solutions from the Ubuntu Forums to no avail. I even did a clean install of the operating system and the audio doesn’t work. Now comes the question, why should a basic feature like an audio (which is quintessential to any operating system), fail after an Operating System upgrade. Though Ubuntu Lucid Lynx works well on my other computers, the problems I am facing on my HTPC are making me give a serious look at whether to continue using Ubuntu or not.